Why Study Hebrew?

Hebrew is the language of the Bible, which is both a religious and cultural foundation of incalculable influence and – especially read in the original language – one of the world’s most dazzling literary achievements. Learning Modern Hebrew is the simplest way into the Bible.

Hebrew is unique: after 2000 years when nobody spoke it as a mother tongue, it was resurrected into full and vigorous life. Learn about how this took place, and how this ancient tongue now can say anything you can say in English or any other language.

Hebrew is the language of Israel, one of the world’s fastest-growing high-tech economies and a country of constant importance on the world stage.

Learning Hebrew is fast-moving and fun. It has to be: Modern Israel was built on teaching Hebrew to waves of immigrants. The Hebrew alphabet is only a small hurdle. The grammar is systematic, built around three-letter roots, and it’s not complicated.

Israel has produced many famous writers in its short history. Yehuda Amichai, Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua and many others have explored the joys and difficulties of modern Jewish existence, the birth of Israel, the Holocaust, Middle East conflicts, and more. See what makes these writers great in the language they wrote in.

If you are interested in research on the Middle East or in working there, a knowledge of Hebrew is invaluable.

Learning Hebrew at BU, you can

work within a small language program, with instructors available for personal consultation;

prepare for travel or study abroad in Israel;

gain access to Israeli news media;

learn about myriad aspects of Jewish culture and history;

gain skills relevant to concentrations in Religion or Jewish Studies;

obtain jobs teaching Hebrew school at Boston area synagogues;

achieve fluency in a language that is important to you — and not only for academic reasons.